Dear EarthTalk: With all the talk of rising seas, what could happen to the rivers that flow into the oceans? Will they reverse flow? Will rising seas back up into fresh water lakes? And what happens to our groundwater should saltwater flow backwards into it?
Dear EarthTalk: Is it better to drive an older, well-maintained car that gets about 25 miles per gallon, or to buy a new car that gets about 35 miles per gallon?
Interest in cleaner and greener auto technology is exploding. From fuel cells to plug-in hybrids, the industry is showing more research and development zeal than at any time since the halcyon days of 1900, when gasoline, steam and electric vehicles (EVs) were competing in the marketplace.
Not all hybrids are created equal. They range fro the very clean, very green Toyota Prius to the big, luxurious and only mildly fuel efficient Lexus RX-400h. Here’s a guide.
The rapid growth of “car sharing” companies—five have sprouted up in the U.S. since 2000—do more than fill a growing niche market. Car sharing also reflects a green business trend called “product service systems” (PSS), otherwise known by its more ungainly iteration, “servicizing.” Morph a product into a service, so the logic goes, and you reduce the ecological footprint of the product itself.
New cars are great, aren’t they? On top of looking all shiny and perfect, they also just smell new. It’s a unique odor, isn’t it? And it goes away after a few weeks, never to appear again. But it’s great while it lasts. Or is it?
I am none too impressed by the new cars and dream vehicles on display at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. American carmakers don’t seem to be grasping that $3 a gallon gasoline will force a sea change in consumer thinking. Once again, the most innovative small cars and ready-to-go green vehicles were from Japan.
